Bengaluru stampede: Two key office-bearers of KSCA resign

Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans who had gathered outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, 2025.
| Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

Two key office-bearers of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) have quit their posts, taking moral responsibility for the stampede that occurred at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives on June 4.

These are only the latest heads to roll in connection with the stampede, as three IPS officers, including Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, were suspended and another transferred. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also gave the sack to his political secretary K. Govindaraj on Friday.

A. Shankar who was secretary, KSCA, and E.S. Jairam, treasurer of the association, resigned on June 6 and issued a joint statement on Saturday. They said that “though our role was very limited” they had owned moral responsibility and quit their posts.

The KSCA management committee has been listed as an accused in three FIRs in connection with the stampede at the stadium.

In his complaint, Cubbon Park police inspector, Girish A.K, who has now been suspended, said that KSCA had requested permission to hold a celebration at the stadium if RCB won the IPL trophy, on June 3 itself. However, he claimed that though they rejected permission, KSCA office-bearers were insistent on holding the event as planned. The police had not permitted KSCA to hold the event, sources said.

The KSCA management committee met on Saturday, where the resignations of the two office-bearers were placed for consideration. They were accepted, said Raghuram Bhat, president of KSCA, speaking to media after the meeting.

When asked if KSCA would take responsibility for the incident, Mr. Bhat said he did not want to comment more on the subject as the matter was now sub judice. He said KSCA would cooperate with the investigations.

On Friday (June 6, 2025), the High Court of Karnataka restrained the police from taking any coercive steps against the three members of the KSCA managing committee, based on an FIR registered in connection with the stampede outside the cricket stadium.

The KSCA had submitted that it had only rented out the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to Royal Challengers Sports Private Ltd. (RCSPL), which owns RCB.

Shankar and Jairam